Equipment: MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of a State-of-the-Art Plasma Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscope (PFIB-SEM)

该奖项为西北大学（NU）提供了最先进的等离子聚焦离子束扫描电子显微镜（PFIB-SEM），用于跨学科研究，实践培训/教育和社会推广。PFIB作为一种纳米级手术刀，能够以高通量和保真度对各种材料和结构进行特定部位的切片。这允许对这些部分进行微观和详细的检查，以了解它们的结构，化学和相关属性，这些属性通常会影响技术有用的特性和基本的科学现象。这样的FIB-SEM系统类似于多功能的“瑞士军刀”工具，可在各种材料、设备和系统中促进从纳米到微米尺度的形状-功能或结构-性能关系。PFIB-SEM将被安置在NU原子和纳米尺度表征实验（NUANCE）中心，这是NSF国家纳米技术协调基础设施（NNCI）网络的软和混合纳米技术实验（SHyNE）资源的主要设施。它将服务于更广泛的中西部研究界，并成为整个NNCI网络的重要资产。PFIB将成为定期研讨会、实践培训和开放日的中心，以促进劳动力发展。将为外部用户，包括当地行业和芝加哥博物馆开发几个实践演示和培训模块。PFIB-SEM具有多功能性，可提供多种功能，用于高通量特定位置的纳米级材料溅射和沉积，双电子/离子操作模式，实现深度分析和3D/4D断层扫描等。其分析能力涵盖多模态成像和能量色散X射线光谱（EDS）绘图。这种多样而又集成的能力与局部纳米纤维/沉积相结合，将影响许多研究计划-从理解“硬-软”材料界面实现的环境修复的分子基础，到解开量子量子比特中退相干的起源。PFIB-SEM将实现横截面/薄截面的大面积铣削和原子探针层析成像（APT）的独特技术，以补充同步加速器X射线散射，并支持跨多个学科的扫描/透射EM（S/TEM）采样。它将实现自动TEM切片制备，大大提高工作效率和生产力。PFIB-SEM将使迄今为止具有挑战性的实验在广泛的倡议和影响广泛的材料表征类别。这些能力将使关键和快速出现的技术领域的地方和区域需求受益。特别值得注意的是生物、农业、食品和相关混合系统的软硬（混合）材料和结构的低温兼容性。PFIB项目的更广泛影响将涉及“NSF Big Ideas”;包括量子信息系统、生活规则，并为当地教育、外展和区域劳动力发展做出贡献。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award provides support to Northwestern University (NU) for a state-of-the-art plasma focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (PFIB-SEM) for interdisciplinary research, hands-on training/education, and societal outreach. Functioning as a nanoscale scalpel, PFIB enables site-specific sectioning of variety of materials and structures at high throughput and fidelity. This allows for microscopic and detailed examination of these sections for their structural, chemical, and related attributes that often influence technological useful properties and fundamental scientific phenomena. Such an FIB-SEM system is akin to a multi-functional ‘Swiss Army Knife’ tool, that facilitates form-function or structure-property relationships from the nano- to the micro-scale in a vast range of materials, devices and systems. The PFIB-SEM will be housed at the NU Atomic and Nanoscale Characterization Experimental (NUANCE) Center, which is the lead facility of the Soft and Hybrid Nanotechnology Experimental (SHyNE) Resource of the NSF National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) network. It will serve the broader Midwest research community and be an important asset for the entire NNCI network. PFIB will be the centerpiece for periodic workshops, hands-on training and open house, towards workforce development. Several hands-on demos and modules for training will be developed for access to external users, including local industries and Chicago Museums. The PFIB-SEM is functionally versatile and will offer diverse capabilities for high throughput site-specific nanoscale material sputtering and deposition, dual electron/ion mode of operation enabling depth-profiling and 3D/4D tomography, among others. Its analytical capabilities span multimodal imaging and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mapping. Such diverse yet integrated capabilities coupled to localized nanofabrication/deposition will impact many research programs — from understanding the molecular basis for environmental remediation enabled by “hard-soft” materials interfaces to unravelling the origins of decoherency in quantum qubits. The PFIB-SEM will enable large area milling for cross/thin sections and unique techniques for atom probe tomography (APT) to complement synchrotron x-ray scattering and support scanning/transmission EM (S/TEM) sampling across multiple disciplines. It will enable automated TEM section preparation, greatly increasing work efficiency and productivity. The PFIB-SEM will enable hitherto challenging experiments in a wide range of initiatives and impact a broad category of materials characterization. Local and regional needs in key and fast emerging technical areas will benefit from these capabilities. Of special note is the cryo-compatibility for soft-hard (hybrid) materials and structures for bio, agriculture, food and related hybrid systems. The broader impact of the PFIB project will address “NSF Big Ideas”; including quantum information systems, rules of life, and contribute to local education, outreach and regional workforce development.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.